Iraqi prime minister to head Intelligence Service
New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani removed Raid Jouhi from the head of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, deciding to head the organization himself until a new head is selected.
Iraq’s Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited the headquarters of the Intelligence Service on Nov. 6, one day after it was announced that he will be the one managing this service temporarily instead of Raed Jouhi, whom former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi appointed on July 27.
Sudani’s government justified Jouhi’s dismissal by saying that it is part of the instructions to cancel all decisions made by the previous caretaker government.
While reports described what happened as "political exclusion" with legal cover, Sudani replied to these claims on Nov. 1, saying that “this measure is not part of a policy to exclude political parties or settle scores but rather to implement the Federal Court’s decision.”
Political and sectarian parties race to obtain leadership of the Intelligence Service every time a new Cabinet is formed.
